SEARCHING for SHANNAH

On June 22, 2016, Shannah Boiteau disappeared into a Minnesota forest not to be heard from again—leaving behind a young daughter, a heartbroken mother, and many questions. Director Benjamin Cook, also a native of Wisconsin, deeply touched and compelled to learn more, examines the tragedy of Shannah’s disappearance and what would become a ten year journey. This is the story of a family looking for answers to what happened to their beloved Shannah—Searching for Shannah.

 

 

At the time of Shannah’s disappearance in 2016, Director Benjamin Cook had seen a posting on Facebook with speculation as to what happened. A few years later, and after listening to a podcast about these horrific events, Cook realized that indeed he knew Shannah’s mother, Angie, as well as the family from back home. This began the three years of researching and filming all of the wild twists and turns in the case.

 

 

It was immediately apparent that Angie and Bud were devoted parents and that would not give up on finding their daughter. In this emotional search and time period of ten years, they had to endure media spin, false leads, bad testimony, gossip, and black mail, but they never gave up hope. One cannot imagine having to endure this magnitude of loss and pain. Cook felt moved by their compassion and courage to tell their story in Searching for Shannah. The powerful message and lesson in this saga—behind every “lost cause” is someone’s child.

 

 

Monday, June 22, 2026, we take a moment, ten years later to remember the life of Shannah Boiteau—her tragic disappearance and the family’s course to find her—with the announcement of the forthcoming documentary film, Searching for Shannah.

​

​

Produced and Directed by Benjamin Cook

© Folk Cinema 2026

​

​

​

Want to know more about Searching For Shannah? Subscribe below.